Photography

The superb new Art Centre at Queen’s has provided the College with some of the best facilities in the South West. As well as light studios for displaying work, the area is well equipped with a specialist chemical area and dark room for Photography.

This highly successful course provides a valuable opportunity to practise and develop skills in Photography and is a popular and valuable addition to the Sixth Form curriculum. As a Photography student, you will be involved in personal enquiry and expression involving the selection and manipulation of images. You will employ creative approaches which go far beyond mere observation and recording.

The wide range of applications and relevance to many areas of study make this an excellent course if you either wish to add a creative subject to your Sixth Form curriculum or wish to broaden your art-based studies.

During the year, you will generate your own individual portfolios of work, working both on location and on studio shots, and complete an externally set assignment near the beginning of the Summer Term.

At AS level, you have the opportunity to generate practical work, ideas and research from primary and contextual sources and then to present your outcomes, based on themes developed from personal starting points. The externally set assessment is the culmination of the course with a paper, consisting of one broad, thematic starting point. There is a preparatory period during which extensive guidance is given.

During the second year, coursework incorporates two linked elements, each with separate final outcomes – practical work and personal study. The development for both these is shown through supporting studies. The externally set assessment is the culmination of the A2 course. It has a broad-based thematic starting point and again there is plenty of guidance during the preparatory period.

Art is displayed all around the campus and if you visit Queen’s College you will see many examples of stunning and adventurous projects and exhibits. Please click below to see a carousel of photographs illustrating some of the projects undertaken recently. There are regular excursions to art galleries such as the Saatchi and Tate Modern in London and St Ives, sculpture parks and to the National Trust as well as international art trips to Venice, Barcelona, Paris and New York which help inspire you in your work. In addition there are workshops held in school and the 10-day Quartz Festival, where professional artists, photographers, sculptures, jewellery makers and ceramicists from all over the South West gather to exhibit enable you to see first-hand working artists.

There is also an annual Art exhibition, featuring work from senior year groups held during the Summer Term however visitors to the Art department coming at any time of year are extremely welcome and will see a vast array of creative work displayed in a variety of mediums.